PA Fly Fishing Stream Reports

                                          FALLING SPRINGS
The Falling Springs is one of three designated limestone wild trout fisheries, and fly fisherman nationwide recognize the Falling Springs as one of the best limestone waters in the East.  The Falling Springs with its constant water temperatures makes for a great year round fishery.  Most of the Falling Spring flows through picturesque meadows.  The stream is blessed with a diversity of mayflies, caddisflies and midges and prime water for summer terrestrial fishing.  The Falling Springs has a great population of wild rainbows. Many reaching lengths of 20+ inches. There is also a very good population of wild brown trout, but they are seldom seen or caught because they are very wary.  The downtown section is full of both stocked browns and an increasing population of wild rainbows and brown trout.
Fishing Report on Falling Spring: 01/31/12
Well with the very unseasonable, Jack decided to come up for MD and spend a 1/2 day with me.  We fished from 11am  until 3:30pm.  The weather was great.  It was sunny, almost 60 and calm.  The water was clear, 52 and plenty of midges and few BWO's popping off.  A few rising trout as well.  I had two rod set up for fishing-one nymph and the other dry.  Jack did both styles throughout the trip.  Jack had a great day.  He landed two rainbows on my Mike's midge, one 'bow on a shrimp and another on my baetis nymph.  Three were small and one rainbow was 13 inches.  This weather won't stay for long. 

                                                   LETORT
Out of all our South-Central PA streams, the Letort is by far the most famous. This is where terrestrial fishing began. The brown trout of the Letort are extremely skittish. Patience, the ability to sneak about and the proper fly presentation are all needed to be successful on the Letort. Brown trout populations continue to go up and down but still trout over 20" are present. Midges hatch year round. Blue Winged Olives, black stoneflies, sulphurs and tricos hatch during their given times. Terrestrial fishing becomes the norm over the summer months and good streamer techniques are a must for this legendary limestone creek.
Fishing Report on LeTort: 09/03/10
Man what a great morning for fishing.  Didn't know if the weather would hold out, but Bill and I had a great time.  We fished from 9 to 1 under cloudy and calm skies.  The water was clear and not much hatching.  We did find some rising trout while working the water with my streamers.  Bill quickly got off to a great start landing two browns on dries.  Then we worked over more meadows and Bill lost two and landed one more browns.  Bill later moved a very nice brown on my streamer while missing a very quick take.  I would say that is a great morning for the Letort.

                                                YELLOW BREECHES

Although not a wild trout stream, these trout can be very selective. Most anglers fish within the 1 mile "no-kill" stretch at the Allenberry.  The regulation section is great but some much water can be found outside this area for both wild and holdover trout without the crowded fishing. It is a stocked stream and stocked several times a year. The Yellow Breeches has a wide diversity of hatching insects. Of all the insects, the "Breeches" heaviest hatches are the black caddis, olive-bodied tan winged caddis, sulphurs and tricos. Some good Hendricksons and brown drake hatches can be fished over as well.  The most famous is the White Fly Hatch and lets not leave out the fantastic midge fishing. To round out the fishing, the Breeches is very well known for its outstanding terrestrial fishing and toughest  midge sipping trout around.
Fishing Report on Yellow Breeches:11/18/11
I stopped by the "run" to pick up some books and poster boards for the International Fly Tying Symposium that I was tying at all weekend.  Had fun meet many of you out there this past weekend.  Now let the unpacking begin.  Wanted to see what was done, but found just one of three devices placed in the stream.  The mud sill will work out well especially if some topsoil and grass is planted later.  I did fish for a little bit as well.  I tied on my shrimp and caught a nice 15 inch rainbow and a good 16 inch brown that came from nowhere.  Did see two spawning redds with browns still on them.  I stayed away.  Was a nice break before the drive.

                                                    BIG SPRING    
Big Spring Creek sure has come a long way since I first starting fishing it back when it was one trophy trout per day.  Now it is classified as a catch and release fly fishing only stretch of 1.1 miles; from 100 feet downstream of the source (Big Spring) downstream to the Nearly Road Bridge.  Below that is open regulated water.  Still, it is nothing like it was in its hay day when Vincent Marinaro walked the grassy banks of Big Spring.  Much has been written about the rising brook trout once found in Big Spring.  These books describe a stream of miles and miles of rising brook trout, then came the mills and then the final blow—a big hatchery at the headwaters. 
    Much has changed since the hatchery has been shut down.  Big Spring is now fishing much like a wild trout stream.  Now one can find trout outside what was locally known as the “ditch”.  This once dead stream is now on the rebound.  There is plenty of trout to be found within the catch and release water and good angling below the project water.  The stream is filled with some stream-bred rainbows and brown trout.  The past population of stream-bred brook trout is on the rebound.  Thanks to some stockings of brook trout fingerlings, many stream-bred brook trout have begun to appear within many reaches of the stream.  Efforts have begun to restore the stream and once again make it a world-class fishery.

Fishing Report on Big Spring: 11/09/10
An early morning start for both Steve and I.  He wanted to do a little fishing on his way through.  Steve had to be back on the road by noon so we met up around 7:30am.  It was cool and frosty.  Day actually warmed up very nicely.   The water was clear, 52 with a few midges flying around.  I had Steve fish with nymphs whether we were fishing the water of sight nymphing.  The usual nymphs did well on this morning.  Steve landed five rainbows from 10 to 15 inches.  Steve had a real nice time and he said it was the perfect way to break up his traveling working trip.  The weather looks fine for the weekend.  If you need a little stream fix I'm open Friday and then Sunday.

                                     OTHER PA STREAMS
 

Jay Nichols-photo
Fishing Report on Little Juniata and Spruce creek: 010/09/10
I did a bit of a photography section today from 8 until 2pm.  The day started foggy and then ended sunny and 71 degrees.  Bug for both streams followed as tan caddis, midges and a few craneflies.  The Little J was hard to wade with the water.  It was just tinted, but in nice shape for a person who can take the wading.  We fished above Spruce and then fished Spruce.  I landed six on the LJ and broke off a pig of a brown.  They ranged from 4 to 15 inches.  Headed over to Spruce and fished it alone.  I landed one dink of a brown trout and one 12 inch rainbow.  Can't say how nice it was out-words can't describe it.